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It was exactly what taxpayers in the Wilkes-Barre Area School District needed to hear with an exorbitantly costly high school project on the horizon.

“It’s going to take time to do it right,” school director John Quinn said. Thank goodness. A voice of reason. Who could deny the importance of cautious restraint when this board may soon be voting to spend up to $300 million or more to renovate the district’s three high schools or build a new one.

Everyone surely wants this school board to take all the time it needs before plunging taxpayers into such long-term debt which could affect their homes, their businesses, their very livelihoods.

Oh, wait. Quinn was talking about something else, something even more pressing. He was cautioning the members of the Wilkes-Barre Area Career and Technology Center’s joint operating committee to not rush into a nepotism policy.

“It’s going to take time to do it right,” he said. “The policy in Wilkes-Barre was rushed.”

Vote is tabled

He was serious. Urging patience and prudence before adopting a nepotism policy is rather interesting considering how quick Quinn was to propose expanding an already expensive study of facilities in his home district without knowing the additional costs.

Anyway, the board heeded his advice on a 6-3 vote, according to a published report. Quinn, Ned Evans and Denise Thomas, all from WBA; Martin Quinn and Bruce Knick, from Pittston Area and John Mahle, of Hanover Area, voted to table a vote on this crucial issue until they research it further.

Gene Mancini, who represents the Crestwood School Board, introduced the motion to set down some long overdue rules regarding the hiring of relatives. Silly man. James Susek of WBA and Gary Smith, of the Greater Nanticoke Area School Board, supported him. Dreamers. WBA representative Louis Elmy and GNA’s Robert Raineri were absent.

Board Chairman Quinn, in an obvious attempt to stall Mancini’s motion, suggested appointing a subcommittee to review hiring policies at other vocational schools and at those of the member districts before plunging forward. He might also want to see how they handle such delicate matters in Poughkeepsie.

When Mancini said to Quinn, “I guess my name isn’t on (the committee),” Quinn responded, “That’s right.”

Of course, Mancini wouldn’t be named to such a committee. That would be counter productive.

Nepotism policy came up before

Why waste time here? Just continue hiring your wives, husbands, nieces, nephews, sons and daughters. You know that’s what you want to do.

This wasn’t the first time a nepotism policy came up at this center. It was introduced in February and likely sent shock waves through families in the member districts.

At that meeting Crestwood’s alternate representative Jerry Orloski made a motion to adopt Wilkes-Barre Area’s nepotism policy. Good for Crestwood, except the joint operating committee decided such a radical move needed to be reviewed first.

Alas, a month later, this board decided to buy some more time by forming a review subcommittee. Maybe at the April meeting, the members will decide whom to appoint to it and in May set a timetable for researching the matter. In December, they can report back to the rest of the board.

Remember, “It’s going to take time to do it right,” board member Quinn said.

Quinn’s son a part-time substitue

Quinn’s son John was hired late last year as a full-time substitute at the school to fill in for a teacher on medical leave. Quinn wouldn’t be worried, would he, that if there’s a nepotism policy in place his son may one day not get a permanent job at the center? Nah, he and, let’s repeat their names so we don’t forget who they are, Martin Quinn, John Mahle, Ned Evans, Bruce Knick and Denise Thomas probably just want to make sure any nepotism policy will ensure that the most qualified candidate for the job gets it.

Last year, the Wilkes-Barre Area board unanimously passed its own nepotism policy. That had to be hard. Under those ironclad (kidding) rules, relatives of board members, the superintendent and his assistants can only be hired if six of the nine directors agree.

But Quinn said that policy was rushed. Six votes to hire junior is kind of high.

Let’s hope the WBA contingent struggles at least half as much when faced with spending up to $300 million on its high school project.

Remember, it’s going to take time to do it right.